i'm glad this exists

For the original short. Sean Penns one is awful, no surprise there, Crispin Glovers is alright but also kinda hokey and fails to get the message of the original. The first one though is beyond brilliant.

A perfect example of the way in which film can be used as a weapon. Here, either in trying to make a social comment on its own destructiveness or in just being cruel, it seems to extract some kind of pleasure in humiliating its subject- a real, hones... (read more) A perfect example of the way in which film can be used as a weapon. Here, either in trying to make a social comment on its own destructiveness or in just being cruel, it seems to extract some kind of pleasure in humiliating its subject- a real, honest, heartfelt man by the name of Richard LaVon Griffiths. This poor man's story is exploited and ridiculed, and his absolute enthusiasm and trust in filmmaker Trent Harris is taken advantage of and eventually raped. I enjoyed spending a strange but good humored half-hour or so with the original Griffiths, but seeing him get made fun of and beat up was not something I enjoyed or even found value in. A hurtful project with no aesthetic or moral value.

The Beaver Trilogy has a misleading title. Spoiler: It has nothing to with beavers. Instead, it's about the home of Butch Cassidy: Beaver, Utah. Another spoiler: Butch Cassidy does not make an appearance in this film. (His ghost doesn't even make a c... (read more) The Beaver Trilogy has a misleading title. Spoiler: It has nothing to with beavers. Instead, it's about the home of Butch Cassidy: Beaver, Utah. Another spoiler: Butch Cassidy does not make an appearance in this film. (His ghost doesn't even make a cameo.) Disappointed? Don't be. If it were required to sum up the plot of this movie in one sentence, the most accurate depiction would be this: a small town guy gets his 15-minutes-of-fame.
One part documentary and two parts reenactment is the final product of what was a brief, yet serendipitous encounter in 1979. While working as a cameraman for a TV studio, Trent Harris was testing out new equipment in the parking lot. He met Richard Griffiths- aka Groovin’ Gary, who eagerly presented him with a series of (unfortunately bad) impressions of various celebrities (including the likes of John Wayne and Sylvester Stallone). Despite his lack of acting skills, Griffiths proved to be an amicable and charming individual who stemmed a twenty-year fascination (and obsession) in Harris. Over the next few years, Harris recorded a series of reenactments of his meeting with Groovin’ Gary. The original “Beaver Kid” should be proud- and has bragging rights, since Sean Penn and Crispin Glover encapsulated “Beaver Rich Little” as an unforgettable character.
Truthfully, the only thing Griffiths really had going for him was his gorgeous 1977 Chevy Impala (which he showed to Harris and embarrassingly demonstrated its need for a boost by a screwdriver to get the engine running), but he surely held Harris’ interest, since he agreed to record a talent show that Groovin’ Gary organized (and Griffiths’ described the acts as the town’s best). If Griffiths truly snagged the ‘best’ of the town’s ability, Beaver is definitely not impressive, but the people still hold a sweet, small town charm that one couldn’t help but feel a slight twinge of pity and sympathy for the brave souls who grace the stage. Some may think, “Is this a joke? Did Trent Harris create a mockumentary here?” while viewing this movie- and wonder if it would be moral to giggle or not.
Most of the hilarity ensues during the preparation and performance of Gary’s own number- Olivia-Newton-Dawn- who is also the reason for the unavailability of this film, due to copyright infringement. The majority of the film mentions the actress/singer, who did not give Harris permission to reference her. This is the only real social commentary that the movie has, aside from the third act’s hinge on homophobic tendencies. Throughout all three parts, Groovin’ Gary (or Groovin Larry, as he is called in the second and third sections), says, “Olivia’s Olivia, and I’m a man,” yet the people who see Gary’s act disapprove of it in the last one. Richard Griffiths stated in an interview, "I didn't want people to think that I was really tweaked or anything in that respect. To me, it was just like another impersonation, you know what I mean? And that's the whole thing I wanted to present. It's just like an actor: if he wants to get inside a character, he's got to become that person no matter what."
The audience clearly does not get this message during Crispin Glover’s rendition- whereas the original documentary version’s crowd seems to do so. Trent Harris runs with the plot, and it’s never thoroughly explained why.
Also, rumors spread that Richard Griffiths killed himself in 1997. While this is untrue, it is sad news that he did pass away in February of 2009. On that sad note, it is great luck that Harris met him that day in 1979, and has captured him on film forever.

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Wow, quite the "film" to wrap your head around. Very enjoyable!